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Background and aim: Most of the rehabilitation treatments for hemiplegic patients focus on compensatory strategies to promote independence in ADL by any means for restoration of upper exterimity (UE) function . Patients were taught to use the unaffected UE and various assistive device for ADL. In contrast, Constraint-Induced Therapy (CIT) treatments discourage the use of unaffected UE and encourage the use of the hemiplegic arm . The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of constraint-induced therapy on ADL of adult hemiplegic patients.

 Materials and methods: This study is an interventional study. In present study, 15 patients who had hemiplegic arm following stroke, participated in constraint-induced therapy sessions emphasizing on more affected UE in different activities five times a week for 8 weeks and 2 hours a day. Noninvolved UE was restricted with a special sling for 8 weeks and 5 hours a day.

 Result: The measurements of self care activities, mobility and total score of stroke patients were evaluated with Barthel-Index. The date showed significant differences between mean score of pre and post interventions (p<0.001).

Functional measurements of upper extremity in ADL by using Arm Function Test showed significant differences between mean score of pre and post interventions (p<0.0001).

Conclusion: Presents data showed that constraint-induced therapy could be an effective approach to improve Activities of Daily Living of stroke patients and emphasis on more use of involved UE and overcome disuse learning. 

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Background and Aim: Aging is a natural phenomenon that affects on different systems of our body. This process is not due to diseases and accidents. Activity of Daily Living (ADL) is important for elderly persons. The aims of this study are to investigate the effects of progressive resistive exercises on Activities of Daily Living of elderly persons.
Material and Methods: Fifty elder men with age above 61 years old participated in this study. Twenty five elder men in exercise group with mean age of 69.45 and 25 elder men in control group whit mean age of 72.24. Strength of shoulder and knee extensors were evaluated by Tekdyne Incentive Dynamometers (TID). Activities of Daily Living were evaluated by Barthel - Index
Results: The measurements of shoulder and knee extensors of elder men were evaluated with TID. The data showed significant differences between mean score of pre and post interventions (p ≤ 0/0001). The measurements of self care activities, mobility and total score of elder men were evaluated with Barthel-Index. The data showed significant differences between mean score of pre and post interventions (p ≤ 0.0001).
Conclusion: Presents data showed that progressive resistive exercises could be an effective approach to increase strength upper and lower body and improve Activities of Daily Living of elder men.

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Background and aim: Schizophrenia is a disabling condition which affects independent functioning in instrumental activities of daily living (IALDs). Due to their importance in mental health and rehabilitation planning, this study was designed to compare functional capacity and daily life performance in IADLs in patients with schizophrenia with healthy matched individuals. The relations between capacity and performance are also considered.
Materials and methods:  Thirty community dwelling patients with chronic schizophrenia and thirty healthy matched individuals were selected. After obtaining a written consent, IADLs were assessed using the Performance Assessment of Self-care Skills (PASS) and the Lawton's index of instrumental activities of daily living. Data analysis was done by SPSS, version 14.0.
Results: Comparing two groups, patients with schizophrenia scored significantly lower in independency, process, and quality in PASS, and in total score of Lawton's index (P<0.001 for all variables). No significant correlations were found between two measures.
Conclusion: It seems that functional capacity and performance in IADLs are limited in patients suffering from schizophrenia. Functional capacity was not related to daily life performance. However, further studies are needed to investigate factors affects functional outcome.